Catenaa, Friday, January 16, 2026- US companies are more upbeat about doing business in China after a trade truce between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
According to a survey by the American Chamber of Commerce in China, about 48% of respondents said they’re optimistic about China’s market growth over the next two years, up 11 percentage points from the previous year. Another 27% remained neutral.
Relations between Washington and Beijing have steadied after Trump and Xi met in South Korea on October 30, where they struck a trade truce and agreed to pause tariffs on each other for a year.
The two leaders are slated to meet four times in 2026, including a likely visit by Trump to China in April, though his recent tariff threats over Iran risk triggering new tensions.
Most surveyed firms remained downbeat about US-China relations over the next two years, but the level of pessimism moderated to 52% from 65% in the previous report, AmCham said.
The survey also challenges the idea that multinationals are rushing to move operations out of China amid concerns over US tariffs. About 71% of respondents said they have no intention to relocate their business overseas, citing China’s strategic importance as a key reason for staying.
About 57% of US companies said they plan to increase investment in China, driven by the country’s long-term market potential and strategic value.
Those looking to scale back cited uncertainty in bilateral relations and worries about economic growth.
Companies’ financial performance improved in 2025 as well. About 52% of firms reported being profitable or very profitable, up six percentage points compared to the previous year. The services sector recorded the strongest gains, with 61% of companies reporting profitability.
The survey was conducted from October 22 to November 20, and drew responses from 368 member companies.
